Life Spugs because...

[Emperor]

Life Spugs because... doctors, or specifically one doctor at my local surgery who doesn't seem to know what she is doing. I've told my Dad to ask if it'd be possible not to be seen by her again but I don't think he likes to make a fuss. After yesterday's lengthy, invasive and utterly unnecessary hospital tests (and more booked in, despite the problem clearing up quickly, with some very simple medication - she just didn't wait to see how it'd would work) a simple review today has her sending him off for a test to see if he has Parkinsons, despite what she thinks might be symptoms are either a known side effect to the drugs she's been over-prescribing him and a frozen shoulder he got when he slipped on some ice a year and a half ago (which a consultant is working on fixing, after a long time of no one seeming to know what they were doing despite it being a known side effect of diabetes). You can't unsay something like "Parkinsons" and it has pissed on everyone's chips (at a time which should), but you have to go and get it tested now as you don't want it hanging over you. Nothing she has done for him in the last few years suggests she actually knows what she is doing and it all seems to be either weirdly random or going massively over-the-top to cover her back - dishing out pills for everything, booking countless unnecessary tests and general not doing anything much to improve the situation. I'm more than a little miffed (which is not an easy thing to induce in me - last time I pushed a large tree over, but I'm all out of trees) and am a hair away from giving them a piece of my mind, they should count themselves lucky they moved the surgery so it isn't quite so easy for me to get to (another reason I've suggested he leave them).

[Dandontdare]

working in  the private medical sector I hear the opposite complaint evry day - GPs that refuse to send people for tests or prescribe medication.

You can always ask to see another doctor, but it sounds like her manner rather than the treatment - isn't it better to cover all the bases?

Hope your dad's feeling better soon.

[Emperor]

Thanks, I'm sure he'll be fine.

working in  the private medical sector I hear the opposite complaint evry day - GPs that refuse to send people for tests or prescribe medication.

Its ironic really, but in these days of NHS cuts it seems awfully wasteful.

You can always ask to see another doctor

I am informed that partners in the practice wouldn't be enthusiastic about giving a second opinion on something a colleague has pronounced about. Given the tests are presumably booked now, they'd probably say go for them now anyway just to be sure.

I will insist she never treats him again (or me come to that).

but it sounds like her manner rather than the treatment

Well it is the way she practices medicine, which seems to be to lash on more and more pills (which other doctors then have to take him off) and test everything, even when the thing being tested is already diagnosed and being treated.

isn't it better to cover all the bases?

Not if there isn't anything wrong with you - it is not only a waste of valuable resources but of his time (and mine, although really a couple of hours to quietly sit in a room and read a book is not a chore for me), plus it comes with all sorts of worries that are going to hang over us all until we get the all clear. He went in with constipation the other week, got prescribed some unblocking gubbins but before even seeing if it would work (which it did) he is off for a sigmoidoscope (the one yesterday, which gave him a clear bill of health) and an upcoming barium enema. They fannied around with not fixing this frozen shoulder for over a year before getting him to a consultant who not only knows what it is but is confident he can fix it fairly easily. At which point she thinks it is Parkinsons and sends him off to get it tested, despite what the consultant thinks and before he has a chance to work on it and without changing medication to see if the touch of catarrh on the throat is a side effect (such a small one they haven't bothered doing anything about it, until, apparently, she thinks it is Parkinsons)

[The Legendary Shark]

Why not write a *polite* letter to the Practice Head outlining your concerns? If things continue in an unsatisfactory manner, it's good to have a paper trail proving that you have acted honourably and in the best interests of your father throughout.

Most of all, I wish your dad well.

[TordelBack]

Why not write a *polite* letter to the Practice Head outlining your concerns? If things continue in an unsatisfactory manner, it's good to have a paper trail proving that you have acted honourably and in the best interests of your father throughout.

Most of all, I wish your dad well.

I'd echo everything TLS says.  Concerns registered politely, paper trail created, long may your Dad continue to be stubbornly well despite everyone's best efforts.

[Old Tankie]

Seems to me that she's just being thorough.  If it turns out that your Dad doesn't have Parkinsons, just be very relieved.  It can be a truly horrific disease.  I wish him all the best.

[HdE]

Ugh.

A web forum that I used to use a LOT has just installed one of its most obnoxious, unpleasant regulars as a moderator.

I'm talking about someone who is INCAPABLE of making a point in a discussion without turning it into some sort of back-handed, sneering condemnation of somebody. And he's been warned about that several times prior to getting his new position. So now he has a small shred of authority to beat people about the head with.

So... that's me done with that forum. And several other regulars, by the sounds of it.

Why do these things happen?

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

Maybe the other mods grew weary of their responsibilities, and this was their forum self-destruct protocol?

[HdE]

Maybe the other mods grew weary of their responsibilities, and this was their forum self-destruct protocol?

Oh man... the things I could say back to this...

[klute]

Because ive missed walking dead.............it appears ive been missing a gem

[Emperor]

Life Spugs because... doctors, or specifically one doctor at my local surgery who doesn't seem to know what she is doing. I've told my Dad to ask if it'd be possible not to be seen by her again but I don't think he likes to make a fuss. After yesterday's lengthy, invasive and utterly unnecessary hospital tests (and more booked in, despite the problem clearing up quickly, with some very simple medication - she just didn't wait to see how it'd would work) a simple review today has her sending him off for a test to see if he has Parkinsons, despite what she thinks might be symptoms are either a known side effect to the drugs she's been over-prescribing him and a frozen shoulder he got when he slipped on some ice a year and a half ago (which a consultant is working on fixing, after a long time of no one seeming to know what they were doing despite it being a known side effect of diabetes). You can't unsay something like "Parkinsons" and it has pissed on everyone's chips (at a time which should), but you have to go and get it tested now as you don't want it hanging over you. Nothing she has done for him in the last few years suggests she actually knows what she is doing and it all seems to be either weirdly random or going massively over-the-top to cover her back - dishing out pills for everything, booking countless unnecessary tests and general not doing anything much to improve the situation. I'm more than a little miffed (which is not an easy thing to induce in me - last time I pushed a large tree over, but I'm all out of trees) and am a hair away from giving them a piece of my mind, they should count themselves lucky they moved the surgery so it isn't quite so easy for me to get to (another reason I've suggested he leave them).

And the follow-up: A letter arrives with an appointment for the test, in the same post is a letter from the consultant cancelling it - we can only assume he looked at the case and concluded it was so unlikely that there really is no point in doing the tests (I had a chance to go over what the tests involved and he passed those that someone with Parkinsons would fail and the only apparent evidence was that when he holds his arms out straight one hand shakes, the hand attached to the arm with a frozen shoulder which the doctor knows about and is scheduled to be dealt with later this year). Of course, now it has been said there is always going to be that niggling worry in the back of his mind, which is annoying.

Off to hospital tomorrow for another intrusive and unpleasant test which he doesn't need (if they do find anything it will just be random luck). Swapping doctors seems to be a certainty at this point.

[uncle fester]

Jeez Emperor, sorry to hear you're still struggling with all this. Hope the situation (or doctor) improves.

[Emperor]

Jeez Emperor, sorry to hear you're still struggling with all this. Hope the situation (or doctor) improves.

Once tomorrow is out of the way it should be fine, at least there is now no longer the stress of a looming Parkinson's test. The doctor will improve as the current one (or the surgery, as there is no one doctor on point any more, it is just the current one he keeps seeing is pretty poor - it boils down to simple bad science - it is just the set-up makes it worse).

[Gavin_Leahy_Block]

Hope all goes well for your Dad, Emperor.

[paddykafka]

Hope all goes well with your dad too, Emp. Here in the Republic of Direland we have the opposite problem, ie actually trying to get access to health tests to determine possible ailments.

I've been in rag order for the last few weeks and approached my GP about getting treatment. I explained my sypmtoms and his immediate reaction was: there's nothing I can do until you have tests and a diagnosis done in hospital. "But, I could be months just waiting to be seen by a consultant, never mind the waiting list for diagnostic tests," I told him. "Is there nothing you can try in the meantime? Even just something to alleviate the symptoms?"

"No, not until I have a diagnosis from the hospital." It was left to me to suggest to him that I at least have some blood tests done. I dropped in his referral letter to the Outpatients section of the hospital. Eight days later, having not received an appointment in the post, I walked up to the receptionist in Outpatients to find out when, or even IF I would be given an appointment. She scanned her computer files, said that she didn't know and would have to leave a message with the three secretaries to find out which one of the consultants I would be dealing with. She took my phone number and three days later I still haven't heard a peep out of them.

From what I've been told by a friend of mine who works in a hospital, I could be waiting several weeks before I see a consultant, and then it could be anything from two to eight months before I'm admitted for tests etc. I'm currently on the waiting list for a medical card - standard time before getting one is four to six months - so I told the receptionist that if needs be I could borrow some money to be scheduled in as a Private Patient if that might help to speed up the process. She just looked at me like I've two heads and hadn't a clue what I was talking about.

The good news is that my blood tests have come back all clear, which has helped to narrow down the possible illness that has me so debilitated. Based on the symptoms and my own research, I'm suspecting it could be an Ulcer or else an infection of some kind, so I've started experimenting with various alternative and complimentary medicines to see if they have any effect. Not the greatest solution I know but given how long it will be before I receive any treatment I really don't have any other choice. Welcome to the Irish Health service and pray to God that you never need to avail of it!